Gout A Disease of the Big Toe that can Cause Big Problems

Gout A Disease of the Big Toe that can Cause Big Problems

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by the accumulation of
uric acid in the joints. It is an extremely painful
disease.

In most cases, it affects only one joint, most commonly the
big toe.

Gout is characterized by sudden, excruciating pain,
swelling, redness, warmness and stiffness in the joint.
Low-grade fever may also be a symptom.

Gout sufferers will often experience intense pain whenever
the affected area is moved. In addition, the inflammation
of the swollen tissues around the joint also causes the
skin to be swollen, tender, and sore even if it is slightly
touched.

The act of draping a blanket over the area, for example,
would be very painful.

Gout usually affects the big toe, but can also attack other
joints. These joints include the ankle, heel, instep, knee,
wrist, elbow, fingers, and spine.

A diagnosis is generally made on a clinical basis, although
tests are often required to confirm the diagnosis of the
disease.

Blood tests commonly performed are full blood count,
electrolytes, renal function, and erythrocyte sedimentation
rate. They are used mainly to exclude other forms of
arthritis.

There are four distinct stages of gout. They are
asymptomatic, acute, intercritical, and chronic.

The first stage is asymptomatic hyperuricemia. In this
stage, the only symptom a person shows is elevated levels
of uric acid in their blood. This stage does not usually
require treatment.

Acute gout, or acute gouty arthritis, is the second stage.
In this stage, hyperuricemia has caused the deposit of uric
acid crystals in joint spaces. This leads to a sudden onset
of intense pain and swelling in the joints.

Attacks commonly occur at night and can be triggered by
stressful events, alcohol, drugs, or the presence of
another illness. In the beginning, they may last between
three to 10 days and can be months or years apart.

As the disease progresses, the attacks can last longer and
occur more frequently. The third stage is interval or
intercritical gout and is the period between acute attacks.

During this period, the sufferer does not have any symptoms
and experiences normal joint function. The final stage of
gout is chronic tophaceous gout.

It is the most disabling stage and usually develops over a
long period of time. In this stage, the disease has caused
permanent damage to the affected joints and sometimes to
the kidneys.

This stage can be avoided with proper treatment.

The first line of treatment for gout is pain relief.
Doctors often recommend drugs such as indometacin or other
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAIDs) such as
ibuprofen or Preparation H, or intra-articular
glucocorticoids, which are administered by a joint
injection.

If you want to learn more about gout and how it can be
treated, speak to your doctor.

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